Leather-working machine



c. A. SAWYER, 1R. LEATHER WORKING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED MAY 8. I920.

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C. A. SAWYER, JR. LEATHER WORKING MACHINE- I APPLICATION FILED MAY 8. I920. 1,375,935.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented Apr. 26, 1921.

wai /672x607 C. A. SAWYER, JR. LEATHER WORKING MACHINE.

APPLlCATlON FILED MAY 8. I920.

latented Api. 26,1921.

"6 SHEETS-SHEET s inventor v C. A. SAWYER, JR, LEATHER WORKING MACHINE- APPLICATION FILED MAY 8. 1920. H

Patented ADI. 26, 1921- 6 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

c. A. SAWYER, In; LEATHER WORKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 8 I9'20.

1,375,935. I Patented Apr- 26,1921.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

l l I I l I l I l I 1 nveza'l'o M A W Z M f aii C. A. SAWYER, JR.

HEATHER WORKING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED. MAY 8 1 920.

Patented Apn. 26, 1921.

6 SHEETS-SHEETS.

i dil hlhi i PHIL LEATHER-WORKING- MACHINE.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 26, 1221.

Application filed May 8, 1920. $eria1 No. 379,731.

To (ZZZ c0 hom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLns ADRIAN Sruvrnr, 51:, a citizen of the United States, aid resident of Newton, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Leather-Working Machines, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, l1ke letters on the drawings representing like parts.

My present invention relates to leather working machines, and more particularly to leather working machines for blankingout shoe soles and the like.

In leather working machines of the clinker type in use at the present day, the side of leather is placed on the cutting block table of the machine, a steel cutting or clicking die having a contour of the sole blank to be cut is placed in position on the side of leather and the beam or reciprocating member of the machine being released by means of a foot treadle, drops on the die, forcing its contour knife edge through the leather. i1 skilful operator is essential in order that good and eflicient results may be obtained, and the waste of leather kept as low as possible. The chances of injury with the usual dinker are so great that a careless operator is soon injured, while a careful operator consumes a great portion of his time in insuring his safety. I have found that the customary merchantable side of leather suitable for the production of shoe sole blanks may be advantageously cut into strips or sections across the side from back to belly, the width of strip or section equalinp; the length of the particular size of sole blank to be cut therefrom, and these strips or sections being somewhat less than the length and width of the bed of the usual t \'l e of (linker. Also I have found that shoe sole blanks, regardless of the length thereof, have practically the same contour. I have therefore, designed a gang cutter which will replace the single clicking die formerly used and by cutting the side of leather into strips or sections, as above described, I can so arrange my gang of outters on the beam or reciprocating member of the machine as to insure the cutting of a plurality of sizes with absolutely no waste of leather in the length of the strip of leather, 'With this method of operation, the

only waste is the trimming that is necessary along the narrow end of the strip ofleather. As the dinker is practically a press designed to impart a hammer blow to a clicking die, I prefer to refer to the clinker as a press.

In my Patent No. 1,368,225, dated Feb. 8. 1921, I have described and claimed a clinker or press 1n which a plurality of parallelly arranged cutters are fixed in position on a reclprocating head or holder for blankingout a plurality of shoe sole blanks simultaneously. In my copending application, Serial No. 377,321, filed April 28, 1920, I have described and claimed a clinker or press in which a plurality of cutters may be adjustably mounted on a reciprocating head or holder in position for blankingout a plurality of shoe sole blanks simultaneously, the cutters being adjustable to permit the blanking-but of shoe sole blanks of various sizes with but one set of cutters. In the present-application, I have described and claimed a dinker or press, which may be accurately denominated a skip dinker, in which but one pair of parallelly arranged cutters is employed, and so operate the mechanism of the press as to blank out every alternate shoe sole blank that may be cut from a strip or sheet of sole leather, the cutters being adjustable on the reciprocating head or holder, if desired.

An object of my invention therefore, is a (linker or press in which a pair of substantially parallelly arranged cutters may be used to blank-out alternate shoe sole blanks from a strip of sole leather.

In the ordinary dinker, base block of wood is employed on which to rest the strip or sheet of sole leather, and as the die used is a con'iplete outline of the shoe sole blank desired, and is manually placed in position on the strip of leather, it is possible to obtain fairly even wear over the entire surface of the base block. With a press, such as those described in my copendin applications above referred to, wherein a plurality of parallelly arranged cutters are employed,

the wear is confined to practically a plurality of parallel lines, with the result that the base block is soon rendered unfit for service, Nith a view to remedying this defect, I have designed a base block and holder therefor, in which the base block may be moved laterally with respect to the plurality of are threaded a pluralitv of parallelly arranged cutters, with the result that the wear is evenly distributed over the entire surface of such base block.

Another object of my invention therefore, is an improved base block and holder for in suring an even wear of the surface thereof.

Other objects and novel features of constnction and arrangement of parts will ap- 1 car as the description of the invention progrosses.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a front elevation,

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the right hand side of the machine,

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 33 f Fig. 1,

F ig. f is a vertical section on the line 44 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan view, showing the details of construction of the cutter head operating mechanism,

F ig. 6 is a fragmentary side elevation of Fig. 5,

F ig. 7 is a front elevation of a modification of the base block used in connection with my improved machine,

Fig. 8 is a plan view of Fig. 7, and

Fig. 9 is a detail showing the construction of the means for controlling the en gagement of the pawls with the sliding and fixed bars.

Referring to the drawings, 10 designates side members or standards tied together at the bottom by a rod 11 and having bosses 12 and 13, the faces of which lie in the same inclinedplane.

Mounted on the hos es 12 and 13 in inclined position is a frame member 14 near the top of which are alined bearings 15 in which is rotatably mounted the main shaft 16. On one end of the shaft 16 is rotatably mounted the fly wheel 17, nut 18 being provided to hold the fly wheel 17 on the shaft. The lower end of the member 14 is provided with a cross bar t rough which dj sting); bolts 20 o gaging the lower face of the slidable table 21. This table 21 is provided with ledges 22 and 23 on its front and rear sides resp ctively, to aid a base block 21, agib 25 and set screws 26 coeperatingr with the ledge 22 f r holding the base block 24 rigidl v in position. 7

Slidably mounted in the member 14 and above the block above described, is a cutter head 32, provided with a shaft 33 arranged parallel to the main shaft 16. Attached to the shaft 33, near each end thereof, are the lower ends of connecting rods 34, the upper ends of which are provided with bearings 35 engaging with eccentrics 36 keyed to the main shaft 16. Rotation. of the main shaft 16 will cause a reciprocating movement of the head 32 toward and from the block elements 31.

Mounted on the lower portion of the head 32 and for sliding movement thereon, is a holder 37, to the lower face of which. is attached, in any convenient manner, a pair of cuttin knives definino the contour of a shoe sole blank of any desired size.

Fixed to the main shaft 16, between the bearing 15 and the hub 47 of the fly wheel 17, is a collar provided with a channel 45, as shown. Slidably mounted in the collar 1 1 and parallel to the shaft 16 is a pin 4.6, which, in its forward movement, or movement to the right, as shown in F 1, engages in a hole in the hub 47 of the fly wheel 1?. This pin 46 has a projection at one side thereof which is guided in a slot $8 in one of the walls defining the channel 5. The projection on the pin 4.6 is beveled, and is adapted to be engaged by a bevel on the upper end of the rod pivotallv mounted at 56 on the frame member 14, this rod lying normally in the channel and retained there under normal conditions by the spring 57, a plate 58 on the frame member 1% holding the rod in alinement with the channel.

Pivotall v mounted on either side of the frame member A are bell crank levers, each having an arm 59 extending outwardly to a position in front of the frame member and to the outer end is pivotally mounted the lower edge of the operating guard plate 60 slidably mounted in a substantially vertical plane in guideways 61 attached to either side of the front of the frame member. The other arm 62 of the bell crank levers extends substantially parallel to the rod and. is provided with a projection or latch 63 adapted to engage with an edge of said rod 55 to rotate said rod on its pivot against the tension ofthe spring 5'? and force its upper bev d. end out of the channel 45, this action allov up; the pin. 4:6 to be forced into the hole in the hub 1-14 to lock the main shaft 16 and wheel 17 together. For convenience in manufacturing, and to prevent unnecessary duplication of parts, the bell. c nk lever at the left of frame la is provided with an arm 62, but, as there is only one rod 55, the arm 62 only on the ri ht of the frame member 14: performs any function. Pivotally mounted at the same point as each of the bell crank levers, above referred to, s a lever, one arm 69 of which is provided with a boss 70, adapted to engage with the arm 59 of the bell crank lever. The other arm 71 of the lever ends rearwardly. and has pivotally mounted at its end, the lower end of a connecting rod 72, a shaft 73 ext nding across the back of frame member 1 1 and being rigidly attached to the upper ends of the connecting rods 72. Stops T41, adjust-ably mounted on the shaft 73, act as stops or gages for the stock placed on th block elements 31.

Mounted in the frame member 14, at one side thereof and parallel to the main shaft 16, is a fixed bar 75, provided on its top edge with a plurality of spaced notches 76. A second bar 77, arranges parallel to the bar 75 but spaced apart therefrom, as shown in Fig. 4, is provided on its upper edge with a plurality of ratchet teeth 78, this bar 77 being mounted inthe frame member 14 for sliding movement. 0316 end of this bar 78 extends outward beyond the frame member 14 and is pivotally mounted to one end of an operating lever 7 9, the other end of this lever 79 being pivotally mounted on the bracket 80, secured to the frame member 14, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. Intermediate the ends of the lever 79 is a bolt 81 on which is mounted a roller 82 engaging in a cam groove 83 in cam 84 secured to an extension of the main shaft 16.

lti-ounted in the frame member 14, parallel to and beneath the bars 75 and 77 is a shaft 85, on which is slidably mounted a carrier member 86, a bar 87 rigidly connecting the member 86 with the head 37. Pivotally mounted in the member 86 on the pin 88 are two pawls 89 and 90. the pawl 89 engaging with the spared ratchet teeth 78 in the slidin bar 77. while the pawl 90 engages with the spaced notches 76 in the fixed bar 75. The pawls are located side by side, and are each equal in width to the thickness of either of the bars 75 or 77, plus one-half the width of the space between said bars, and are held in operative relation with said bars by springs 91, attached one end to an extension on the wls and the other end to the carrier member 86 but one of said springs 91, that in Fina 1, being shown.

Fined to the frame member 14, and parall-cl to the main shaft 16, is a shaft 92 on which is rotatably mounted a sleeve 93, a collar 94, fixed to the shaft 92, limiting the movement of the sleeve 93. Aspiring 95, on

the shaft 92, and between the end of the sleeve remote from the collar 94, and a hub 96 on the frame member 14, holds the sleeve 93 yieldingly against the collar 94. There a hub 96 located on the shaft 92 'nst the inner sides of the frame members 14, and formed integral with these hubs and extending inwardly toward the center of the i'nachinc, as viewed in F 3., is an arm 97, the outer end of this arm being positioned above the parallelly arranged bars 75 and 77 in position to engage with a straight edge located between said bars 7 5 and 77 and movahlc laterally with respect thereto to enwith the pawls 89 and 90 to free the same from engagement with the ratchet teeth 79 and notches 76. A downward extension 99 on the sleeve 93, is in alinement with a slidable bar 100 in the frame member 14 and with the fixed bar 101 in. the carrier member 86, the function and operation of which will be hereinafter described. Also formed integral with the sleeve 93 and extending inwardly toward the center of the machine, is an arm 102, provided at its end with the roller 103 adapted to be moved into engagement with a cam 104 fixed to the main shaft 16. The shaft 92 extends through the frame member 14 and at the ends thereof outside the frame member 14 are attached depending arms 105, a spring 106, for each arm 105, being attached one end to the arm and the other end to the frame member 14. These springs 106 rotate the shaft 92 in an anticlockwise direction under normal conditions, and hold the end of the arm 97 out of engagement; with the straight edge 98. At the lower end of each arm 105 is a swiveled lug 107, through which passes the threaded end of a rod 108, nuts 109 located on the rod 108 and on each side of the lug 10. providing means for adjusting the operative length of said rod 108. The other end of the rods 108 are pivotally attached to latch bars 109, intermediate the ends thereof. These latch bars 109 are pivotally attached at their lower ends to stub shafts 110 extendng outwardly from the stripper bar frame 11, while the upper ends are hook shaped .t 112, to engage with outwardly extending teeth 113 on the reciprocating head 32. Also attached at each side of the stripper bar frame 111 are studs 114 to which are attached one end of the springs 115, the other ends of which are attached to tension bars 116 each side of the machine, adjusting bolts 117 passing through plates 118 and threaded into the tension bars 116, providing suitable tensioning means.

The carrier means 86 is drilled to receive rod 119, pin 120 passing through a perforation in the carrier means 86 and rod 119 to loci: said rod. 119 in position. This rod 119 is advanced. step by step to the right, as viewed in Fig. 1, until it comes into engagement with a depending arm 121, formed in tcgral with the sleeve 93, when further movement forces the sleeve to the right, against the tension of spring 95, into engagement with the rod 122, slidably mounted in the frame member 14. This rod 122 engages with the free end of the flat spring plate 123, the other end being riveted or otherwise secured to the pivoted rod 55. Adjacent and parallel to the rod 122 and securely fastened in the frame member 14, is a stud 124,

which cooperates with thestud 125 riveted near the free end ofthe spring plate 123, these two studs 124 and 125 acting as a locking means to hold the pivoted rod 55 out of the channel 45 when it is desired to operate the machine.

The pitch or throw of the cam groove 83 is such as to cause areciprocating movement of the sliding bar 77 equal to the width of two shoe sole blanks; that is, the pair of cutters 38 on the slidable head 37 will be moved to the right, as viewed in Fig. 1, from the position shown to the correct position to blank out the thirdshoe sole blank on the strip or sheet of leather. As the right hand cutter 38 simultaneously defines the right hand longitudinal edge of shoe sole blank No. '1, and the left hand longitudinal edge of shoe sole blank No. 2, blank No. 2 being in reverse position with respect to blank No. 1, the left hand cutter 3.8 in its second position will define the right hand longitudinaledge of sole blank No. 2, while both cutters 38, in the second position, will define shoe sole blank No. 3. By this means and method of operation, I am enabled to practically double the cutting capacity of a single pair of cutters, as shown.

Referring now to Figs. 7 and 8 wherein I have illustrated a modification of the base block 24 used in my improved machine, 124 designates a frame provided at each end with a plurality of threaded bosses 27 to receive the screws 28. These screws 28 are provided at one end with hand wheels 29, the other end engages with compression plates 30; Between the plates 30 are located a plurality of wood blocks 31 which rest on the top of the slidable table 21. By compressing the blocks 31 between the compression plates 30 by means of the screws 28, 1 provide a practically solid block, the elements 'of which are readily renewable. Further, by backing off the screws 28 at one end of the frame, and advancing the screws 28 at the other end, 1 am enabled to move the entire block laterally of the cutters insuring an even wear over the entire upper surface of the block elements 31.

The operation of my improved machine is as follows, it being assumed that all parts are in normal position, with the fly wheel rotating and with the free end of the rod 55 in the channel 45 tohold the pin 46 out of engagement with the hub of the fly wheel; with the operating guard plate 60 downward to expose the opening between the pair of cutters and the top of he base block; with the gage or stop 74 above and at the rear of the said block, and with the pair of cutters 38 at the left of the machine, as viewed in Fig. 1. The operator inserts a strip or sheet of sole leather on the block 31, the gages 74 insuring that such sheet of leather is in proper position on the base block. In order to properly operate the machine, both hands must be employed, and the operator therefore lifts the plate 60 in its guides 61 raising the same to block access to the knives and rotating the bell crank lever on its axis, forcing the latch 63 on the arm 62 against the rod 55, thus forcing the beveled end of the rod 55 out of the channel 45, whereupon the pin 46 will be forced into the hole in the hub 47 of the fly wheel 17, locking said fly wheel and main shaft 16 together. The main shaft 16 thereupon rotates, and through the eccentric 36 causes a reciprocating movement of the head 32 and therefore the cutters 38. The holder 37 is held in the position shown in Fig. 1 by meansof the weight 120 attached to the metallic tape 126 passing over a pulley 127 on the end of the shaft 65. The other end of the tape is fastened to the holder 36. The cam groove in the cam 84 is so shaped as to maintain the sliding bar 77 stationary, and therefore, while the pawl 89 engages with one of the teeth 78 in the sliding bar, there is no longitudinal motion along the head 32 transmitted to the holder 37. Simultaneously with the operation of the rod 55, the stud 125 on the spring plate 123 is sprung over the stud 124 in the frame member 14, so as to occupy the position in front or to the left of said stud 124, as viewed in Fig. 2, the rod 55 being thus held out of the channel 45 against the tension of the spring 106.

@n the upward movement of the reciprocating head 32, the cam groove 83 forces the slidable bar 77 to the right, as viewed in Fig. 1, and the pawl 89, being in engage ment with one of the notches 78 in said bar, the head 32, holder 37 and cutters 38 are moved to the right a distance equal to the width of two shoe sole blanks. On the continued rotation of the main shaft 16, the cam groove 83 forces the sliding bar 77 to the left, but the movement of said bar 77 to the right was sufiicient to allow the pawl 90 to engage in one of the notches 76 on the bottom edge of the fixed bar 75, so that the head 32, holder 37 and cutters 38 remain in their new position during the return of the bar 77 to normal. The sequence of operations above described is repeated until-the pin 119' engages with and forces the arm 121, and therefore, the sleeve 93, to the right into position to bring the roller 103 on the arm 102 in line with the earn 104 on the shaft 16, and also moves the pin 122 to the right against the free end of the spring plate 123, freeing the stud 125 on the plate 123 from the stud 124 on the frame member 14, whereupon the spring 106 moves the upper end of the rod 55 into the channel 45, stopping the rotation of the main shaft 16. Depression of the free end of the arm 102 by the cam 104 causes a rotation of the shaft 92. Rotation of the shaft 92 moves the free end of arms 105 outwardly and the rod 108 pulls the latch bar 109 to the right, as viewed in Fig. 2, to engage the hook 112 to engage with the teeth 113 on the reciprocating head 32, so that during the last upward stroke of the head 32, the stripper bar frame will be brought up also. The rotation of the shaft 92 also causes a depression of the free ends of the arms 97, which engage with and depress the straight edge 98 sufficiently to free the pawls 89 and 90 from the bars 77 and 75 respectively, whereupon the holder 37 and parts associated therewith are returned to normal position, by the weight 120.

It will be evident from the above description, that my improved skip-dinker is capable of blanking out shoe soles from leather or other material, by the use of a single pair of cutters, the number of sole blanks cut being equal to twice the number of strokes of the cutters, minus one. Further, that, in contradistinction to the dinkers described and claimed in my copending ap plications above referred to, where the main shaft is rotated once for each movement of the clutch rod, I provide means for causing a continuous rotation of the main shaft during the intermittent feed of the cutters from one side of the machine to the other, when the main shaft is automatically stopped. Again the machine may be made of any length desired, the automatic stopping mechanism not operating until after the last stroke of the cutters, and by using rods 119 of different lengths, this last stroke of the cutters may take place at any point along the length of the machine desired.

My invention is further described and de fined in the form of claims as follows:

1. In a leather working machine, the combination of a frame, a pair of cutters mounted for reciprocating and sliding movement therein, a rotatable shaft, means operated thereby for causing a reciprocating and sliding movement of the pair of cutters, a source of power and a combined operating and guard plate slidable with respect to said frame and operating to connect said shaft with the source of power, whereby an intermittent reciprocating and sliding movement is imparted to said cutters and the operator is simultaneously guarded from injury by the cutters.

2. In a leather working machine, the combination of a frame, a source of power, a rotatable shaft in said frame, a clutch for connecting said shaft to said source of power, a cutter head mounted for reciprocation in said frame, a cutter holder, means for moving said cutter holder step by step in said frame, means for locking the cutter holder in position after each movement, means for returning said cutter holder to normal position and for simultaneously disconnecting the shaft from the source of power.

3. In a leather working machine, the combination of a shaft, a frame, a cutter holder slidable on said frame, a fixed notched bar in said frame, a slidable notched bar in said frame, pawls on said cutter holder engaging with said bars respectively, means for reciprocating said slidable notched bar to cause a step by step movement of said cutter holder on said frame, said cutter head being held in position at the end of each step by step movement by the pawl engaging in the notches of the fixed bar, and means for moving said pawls out of engagement with the bars to allow the cutter holder to return to normal position.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

CHARLES ADRIAN SAWYER, JR. 

